Review~ 2wenty8 Loren

Some of you may know that I have been every excited for an order that I placed with The Big Bra Bar. Unfortunately it took forever to get here! It was dispatched right away, but international mail is unreliable. On average it takes 2-3 weeks for an international order to get to me, but this time around it took 5 weeks! Like I said, it was shipped right away, so somewhere along the line it was delayed in the mail system. It’s unfortunate when these things happen, but you have to remember it is not the retailers fault, once it is in the mail there is nothing they can do. But it got here, and I’m excited to share my thoughts with you.

The brand 2wenty8 was started by Nikki Hesford as a way to fill a whole in the lingerie world. You can read Cheryl’s interview with her on Invest in Your Chest. As stated in the interview, the brand is geared to a younger crowd, and not for a daily wear kind of look. One thing the owner keeps in mind is the fact that women with implants may have different needs than a woman with natural breasts. If you are looking for more sex appeal for your special night out, The Big Bra Bar is the place to find it.

So, this review is for the 2wenty8 Loren in Metallica. There are two things I love, silver/charcoal coloring and polka dots. Combine one for the two (or both) in lingerie, and I am sold! This bra is available in 28DD-H with matching thong undies. The Loren is also available in Claret and Blush, with Pearl and Midnight Blue being new for 2012. Midnight Blue has a trial run of 26 backs, so check for your size if you need it! I ordered this bra in a 28H, but my ideal size would be a 26J. Unfortunately, it did not quite fit right, but as a boudoir style bra, it is the perfect design.

You’ll have to excuse some of the wrinkling in the cups here. Part of it is because the cup is too small for me, part is because it is brand new out of the package. It’s a little upsetting, because I love the bra, but it just does not work as well for me as it could.

Loren Metallica in 28H

Here is another view to see the wrinkles I’m talking about. For me it is a result of my breast shape. Due to the style of implants that I have, I have a lot of projection to my breasts and not as much width.. The projection is too much for the cupsize which pulls the cup forward and is straining the seam at the front and wrinkling along the side from not enough width. I’m sure this would be fixed if I was wearing the right size or if the shape was different. In this picture you can also see how high the bra comes up in the under arm. I don’t find that it digs even with the height. The wire width is a little bit wider then I need so ladies with a wider breast base or implant base may find this perfect.

There is some gorgeous detailing that went into this bra. The lace edge of the cups is gorgeous. It is a little itchy, but that will go away with washing I’m sure. I could not get a clear picture of the straps. They are fully adjustable, and are corrugated to ensure they do not loosen with wear. Very nice detail, and as someone who has slipping straps I appreciate it. The inside of the straps are not corrugated, so no worries on your skin.

Detailing to the cup edge

The inside of the cup shows a smooth molded material which is very soft and comfortable against the skin. I wore this around the house for a few hours and was totally comfortable the entire time. I have sensitive skin and with some mesh styles it seems like I can feel every tiny little pucker in the fabric. It is a two-part cup with a vertical seem, so not as supportive as the three-part designs we are used to in this size range. I do think that it changes my shape a little bit, the seam runs more toward the outer part of the breasts and can give a slight pointy look because of that.

Inside the cup

Next we come to my favorite part, the center gore height. I have issues with the center gore of bras sitting on my breasts in the center. Some of my bras have a four inch (10cm) gore height. This bra is half that! Now, given the fact that this bra is too small it is hard to say for sure, but if I was wearing the correct size I would have the perfect gore height in this bra. And the picture shows the pretty velvet bow at the center gore.

Center gore, 2 inches (5cm) high.

As you can see below, the cup is strong enough to support itself on its own but it is not stiff. I do not usually do well with molded style cups, but this in the right size would work well for me. The molding is very thin and does seem to shape well.

Here you can see the wire is not sitting on my sternum like it should, indicating the cup is too small. But you can also see how low the center gore actually sits. I love this!
And the last photo, just a peek at another detail. The tag is just plain pretty. To me that says that something was well thought out. It is the little details that say something to me when it comes to a bra.

So the overall, I like this bra and wish it was a better fit for me. It is a 28 band, so I have to wear it on the tightest hooks. There are only two, not three hooks in this bra with three sets. This is something that I like better for me personally, but I know many prefer the third row of hooks. The color is as pretty in person as it is online, though not something I’d usually associate with pin up style lingerie. But with my love of all things grey, this is perfect for me. I did wear this around the house for several hours, just to get a feel for the bra. I do have to say that it is comfortable. I did not have straps digging into the soft area by my arm pits, I did not have digging underwires like I do with many of my Freya bras. For those reasons alone, I’ll keep and wear this bra even though the size is not correct.

Now, like the owner of The Big Bra Bar states, this bra is not intended for daily type wear. But honestly, I’ll wear it like I’d wear a normal bra. In just the short time I wore it around my house I had to chase one of my pups that was being naughty. I did have bounce, but no more than I have in the Freya or Curvy Kate styles I wear. And that could be improved with a tighter band. A common misconception is that women with implants do not have bounce or jiggle and therefore need less support. Entirely not the case. I really don’t see how the support provided by this bra would be any less than similar styled and sized bras. It provides the same amount of support (and leaves the same amount of jiggle) as my Curvy Kate Thrill Me in the same size, and the band measurements are similar. Measurements for both can be found on Bratabase.

Great point! That is actually a problem I have with some of the other bras I have reviewed.

The wire width is about 50% due to the band being pulled tighter onto the tightest hooks, and about 50% the style of the bra. By fastening on the loosest hooks the wires are actually on a slight bit wider then what I’d like, and the look of the cleavage line is improved. I really do think that this bra 1 cup volume bigger, maybe 2 (HH/J) and down one band (26) would be perfect for me. So maybe a 26J/JJ.

I didn’t realize this before but it looks like we’re right about the same size (28J), although you’re smaller in the band. I also have the same issue with my breasts being all forward projection and no width (although for me I absolutely need a high central gore because my breasts just don’t stay put!).

Have you tried Ewa Michalak bras yet? The plunges seem like they’d work really well for you (especially since you could get a small back custom made!).

I did not realized that you have the same problem with width. Good too know! I’d love a higher center gore, but they are just too close together and the gore sits on my breast/implant. I’d love to try Ewa bras, there are several I drool over (the latest photoshoot is on facebook). I’m just very unsure of size and what to order. There are conflicting opinions the tightness of her bands. I need to do some major research, maybe order a bunch of sizes, and return what doesn’t fit before special ordering.

I hear that you need to measure your underbust VERY tightly- as tightly as possible – when you’re doing the measurements for the EM calculator to get an accurate estimate. I also have heard that the owner is very helpful if you email her with your measurements/questions… maybe something to try?
Have you seen Brittany from Thin and Curvy’s review on 26HH EM bras? You may want to look at those posts of hers… I forget if she lists her measurements, but you could read the reviews and even email her as well if you had questions – she’s very nice. 🙂